Hampton Township hires new blight inspector to crack down on violations

HAMPTON TOWNSHIP, MI — Retired Essexville Public Safety officer Dave Mayotte said accepting the city's offer to become blight inspector last year was easy since he knew the local ordinances.

Beginning next month, Mayotte is expanding his jurisdiction by picking up that title in neighboring Hampton Township as well.

"I've handled 30 to 40 code violations (in Essexville) since August, and most of them have been cleaned up," said Mayotte, who is a township resident. "I worked in the community before, and I think that helps because the people who I have to confront about these issues know me."

The Hampton Township Board of Trustees approved Mayotte's contract at its last meeting on Monday, Feb. 11.

“Our building inspector, Al Hugo, was co-blight and building inspector,” said Hampton Township Supervisor Tom Foret. “He’s getting older, and it got to be too much of a workload for him, so he gave up the blight inspector side of his job last fall.”

As blight inspector, Mayotte will respond to complaints of properties with eyesores such as overgrown lawns or vehicles and boats parked on the lawn.

"Every kid has a car these days, but where do you park five cars when you have a one-car garage?," Mayotte said. "Lifestyles are busier. People have snowmobiles,
boats and RVs and park them in their yard, don't cut the grass and soon it's a foot tall — but there has to be a balance."

Foret said that the job of blight inspector is challenging because responding to complaints means not everyone will be happy. He temporarily assumed the role after being elected supervisor last November.

"He is the supervisor, and his time and energy should be spent running the township, not trying to please this person or that person in a conflict," Mayotte said. "Notifying a code violator of a complaint can be an embarrassing situation, but it can be handled in a way that people realize I am just trying to help them."

The blight inspector position is part-time without benefits. Foret said that the exact salary is not known yet, but the board will make a decision after determining how many hours Mayotte will work.

Hugo, who became the township's blight inspector in 1998, said he grew tired of the conflict. He also holds the position of building inspector in Essexville, where he has worked with Mayotte as blight inspector.

"I'm getting too old to fight people," Hugo said. "The majority of people are receptive when you call them, but there is always that five percent that makes things difficult."

Hampton Township adopted its anti-blight ordinance in 1968. Jodie Hebner, who works in the township's administration office, said a total of 23 complaints were filed in 2012, the majority for garbage accumulation or overgrown lawns on foreclosed properties.

Foret said that the board will re-evaluate its decision in six months to determine if the township should extend the contract.

"I'm excited to start working for the township," Mayotte said. "Sometimes it takes someone to remind residents of our ordinances and show them they will be enforced so they keep things up on their property."